Electronics & Technology

Listing with the catalog in more categories

Buyers come to eBay every day looking for the best deals on the hottest electronics. To make sure they find them quickly and easily and keep coming back for more, the easy way to shop for popular products is coming to more Consumer Electronics categories including CPUs, Motherboards, and PC Desktops. Listing with the eBay catalog whenever there's a product match will be required in these categories.

Highlights

The easy way to find popular products is coming to more Consumer Electronics categories. The eBay catalog powers this experience and provides the consistent information needed to help buyers find the products they're looking for quickly and easily—including your listing. Sellers are now required to list with the eBay catalog in more Consumer Electronics categories whenever there's an exact product match.

Take Action

Start listing or relisting your items in these categories with the eBay catalog today, whenever there's a product in the catalog that's an exact match for your item.

If you have listings in these categories that were not listed using the catalog, you can revise or relist them with the catalog now. That way, if you're an eligible seller, they'll qualify to appear in the value box.

If you receive an email notification from eBay about listings that need to be relisted with the catalog, be sure to take immediate action to avoid having your listing removed.

Sellers are no longer required to add items to the catalog if there is no matching product for GPS Systems (Category #156955) as of February 27, 2013. Sellers are still required to list GPS Systems with the catalog if there is a matching product in the catalog for the item being listed.

How to list with the eBay catalog

How to list and relist: When you list an item through the Sell Your Item process, if it matches a product in our catalog, you're given the option to search for the product using common search terms, like a Universal Product Code (UPC), or a keyword such as a brand or product name. If your item matches a product, click "select" and continue listing.

To make sure you select exactly the right product match, pay close attention to attributes such as case color with MP3 players, preloaded map versions in GPS devices, console compatibility for video games, and cell phones built for specific carriers.

You can also use the product details and a stock photo from the eBay catalog. If you want, you can continue to add your own description as you do today.

If you're listing a used item, add your own product details and your own original photos of your item to accurately depict wear. Starting in 2013, you may not use eBay stock photos as the primary listing picture for a used item. Starting in October, add any additional comments about the condition of your non-new item in the item condition notes field.

How to update existing listings: Use the Advanced Search functionality in free eBay Selling Manager to identify listings not listed with the catalog. You can also use the new Catalog Adoption Tool (CATs)—it will identify listings in categories where listing with the catalog is required, and help you update your listings in bulk.

How to list bundles: If you're listing a product bundle in these subcategories, simply use the keywords or UPC code for the main product. Select that product from the catalog, select the bundle flag, then use the seller tags provided to list the additional components included in your bundle. This will ensure you are included in the area where bundles are shown on the product page. It's also a good idea to include a list of the bundled components in your listing description.

Best Practices

With Fixed Price listings, it's rarely a good strategy to "set it and forget it." Keep a close eye on how price is impacting your status, and make adjustments as needed to stay on top.

Watch your closest competitors on and off eBay, and look at what they're charging for similar items. Buyers know how to find the best deal.

List Auction-style items with a low start price.

Offer free or discounted shipping.

Whenever possible, even if you can't list your item with the catalog, include unique product identifiers like UPC, GTIN, and ISBN. Buyers using these identifiers within eBay search, off-eBay search engines, and using mobile applications will be able to more easily find your listing. The more complete your listing, the more compelling and easy to find for interested shoppers.

Frequently Asked Questions

The eBay catalog is an extensive online library of information and images for many products on the market today available for you to use when you list your items on eBay. Listing with the eBay catalog is a fast and easy way to create professional, detailed listings for your items—making it easier for your customers to find—and buy—exactly what they're looking for. When you list using the eBay catalog, product specifications like brand, model number, dimensions, performance, color, capacity, compatibilities, and professional photos are automatically included in your listing.

To better highlight great eBay values to buyers and streamline the purchase decision, listing with the eBay product catalog will be required in more electronics categories whenever there's a product in the catalog that matches your item.

Listing with the eBay catalog streamlines the listing process. Information buyers need to make an informed buying decision including product specifications, brand, model number, dimensions, performance, color, capacity, compatibilities, and professional photos are automatically included in your listing. Plus, when you use the Sell Your Item process to list and use the eBay catalog, you'll be provided with key selling data—like average selling price and number of completed listings—so you can price your item competitively.

Your existing listings in these categories not listed with the catalog, including long duration and Good 'Til Cancelled listings, will be mapped automatically to a matching product in the catalog whenever available, and you'll be notified by email. You will need to immediately relist or revise these listings to actively list with the catalog.

These listings will not be eligible to appear in the various tools developed to help buyers find products on the search results page, until you actively relist or revise them with the catalog. The International Site Visibility listing upgrade option is not available for these items. Also, once you've been notified, if you don't revise your listing to list with the eBay catalog, you may be subject to a range of actions including listing removal, limits on buying and selling privileges, and account suspension.

Use the Advanced Search functionality in free eBay Selling Manager to identify listings not listed with the catalog. You can also use the new Catalog Adoption Tool (CATs)—it will identify listings in categories where listing with the catalog is required, and help you update your listings in bulk.

No. For items listed in categories where listing with the catalog is mandatory, you may only list your item in a single category. When you list your item in one of these categories, you will be blocked from listing it in any additional categories.

If eBay automatically maps your product to the catalog, you will be notified by email. Once notified, sellers who continue to have listings not using the catalog when there is a product match may be subject to a range of actions including listing removal, limits of buying and selling privileges, and possible account suspension.

Yes. Catalog coverage in these categories is being expanded to ensure that the majority of items are included. Listing tools and processes have been simplified to make it easier to list with the catalog. For example, coverage of UPC code is currently being expanded.

If a product does not exist in the catalog, or the item's unique identifier (ISBN, UPC, IIE, etc.) doesn't match one in eBay's current catalog, you'll still be able list it in the category. These listings will appear on the search results page for that item, along with product cards. These listings will not appear on the product page. eBay will review these listings and if a product match is found in the catalog, eBay will map the listing to that item and you will be notified via email of the change.

When listing with the catalog, you can include additional item details in your description that were not noted in the catalog description, but first make sure you've chosen the right product in the catalog before including more item details. This is particularly important when listing items with more granular characteristics that impact a buyer's decision. For example: preloaded maps in GPS devices, case color of an iPod or MP3 player, console compatibility for video games, or cell phones built for specific carriers, etc. Once you've selected the right product in the catalog for your listing, make sure anything you add to the description doesn't conflict with product details from the catalog.

If the product details are incorrect, use the product title, disable the inclusion of product details, and clarify product details in the description. We encourage you to send an email to DL-eBay-CatalogSubmission@eBay.com and include the following information:

These listings will be flagged and reviewed for possible catalog matches by eBay. If a match is found then you will be notified and are encouraged to relist or revise listings to actively list with the catalog. Sellers who repeatedly fail to list or relist items with the catalog when there is a product match may be subject to a range of actions including listing removal, limits of buying and selling privileges, and possible account suspension.

If you don't agree with eBay's mapping, you can review and revise your listing with a more appropriate product from the catalog, if available. Once you've revised your listing with a new product from the catalog, it will not be remapped by eBay. We will, however, review these revised listings to ensure they are listed with the right product in the catalog. If they are incorrectly revised and listed with the wrong product in the catalog, the listing will be disassociated from the product catalog and you will be notified via email.

Listings will be mapped to new catalog additions as they become available and you are encouraged to actively relist or revise with the catalog. As new products are added to the catalog, eBay will automatically map existing listings to catalog additions. Listings that were not created or revised with the eBay catalog will not appear in various tools developed to help buyers find products on the search results page.

Any listings with a matching catalog product not listed with the eBay catalog will be reviewed by eBay and mapped to matching products within the catalog. Sellers will be notified of this action via email, and are encouraged to revise their listings with the catalog for immediate eligibility for the value box (eligible sellers only). Once you've been notified, if you don't revise your listing to list with the eBay catalog, you may be subject to a range of actions including listing removal, limits on buying and selling privileges, and account suspension.

Yes, the current bulk listing editor in My eBay, Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro all allow you to specify a catalog product for your listings, in bulk. The bulk edit and relist functionality will also support any additional changes you may want to make. Another option to quickly identify listings in mandated categories and assign products to your listings is the new CATs tool.

If you're listing a product containing bundled accessories or services, list the bundle using product details for the main product. Then use the "bundled item" option in the listing process to include details of the additional accessories you are including, since many of buyers recognize the value in bundled offerings. Buyers will be able to filter for listings with and without bundles. Adding accurate information during the listing process will help buyers more easily compare your bundle to others. It also helps eBay present the listing properly as a bundle and showcase the value of the offering.

If your item is missing components, follow listing best practices—use the most appropriate item condition and clearly call out what's missing in your item description. For example, if you are selling a new television that's missing the remote control, list with the corresponding product details, and clearly call out that the remote control unit is missing from the item, in both your title and description. These listings will appear in search results along with complete items that contain all components. Items that are missing components are not considered to be in New condition.

If your item is used or refurbished, select the most accurate item condition and use the listing description to provide a detailed description of any wear or flaws. Include item details and photos that accurately depict the item condition.

You should create a regular listing without using the catalog if you're listing a new item and your unique identifier matches a product in the catalog but your product has characteristics that are different from what is described in the catalog, or if your item's unique identifier code (ISBN, UPC, or IIE, etc.) does not map to a product in the catalog. If you're listing a non-new item and the unique identifier code matches a product in the catalog but your item has an additional characteristic that may price it above the list price, create a listing with the catalog match then include additional characteristics under item specifics in your title and description.

If you list GPS devices on eBay Motors, be sure to include the device brand and model number in the listing title to be eligible for automatic exposure on eBay.com. GPS devices listed on eBay Motors without the device brand and model number in the title will not be included in the search results on eBay.com.